MOGADISHU, Somalia /LONDON, U.K 19 January 2021 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and international barrister Michael Polak who is working with them are deeply concerned about the continued detention of freelance journalist Kilwe Adan Farah in Garowe, Puntland since 27 December 2020 and the politically motivated charges of attempted murder brought before the Puntland military court on Monday 11 January 2021.
The charges were brought by Puntland’s military court actually more than two weeks after Kilwe was seized by the Puntland Intelligence Agency (PISA) on 27 December from the city centre of Garowe, the capital of Puntland region of Somalia.
Freelance journalist Kilwe, who reports for Kilwe Media Inc, a Facebook news page he co-founded, was detained a day after he covered an anti-inflation rate protest that took place in Garowe town on 26 December 2020. He was held at in undisclosed PISA detention without the access of family and lawyers for 16 days and then transferred to a another prison.
On Monday 11 January, without the knowledge of his family and without the presence of lawyers, Kilwe was transferred to Garowe central prison and was reportedly charged with attempted murder by the Puntland military court. Family members said they did not see the charge sheet but were only read to them by a military court official.
It is thought that Kilwe was seized because of his coverage of the protests as part of a crackdown on any free media being carried out by the Somalia Government authorities and its Federal Member States.
On Sunday, 17 January SJS member journalists, editors and camera-operators gathered in Mogadishu for a silent protest in solidarity with journalist Kilwe and to demand for his immediate and unconditional freedom.
SJS and Michael Polak are deeply worried about Kilwe’s physical and mental health conditions following reports of torture inside the PISA detention in Garowe. Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, the Secretary General of Somali Journalists Syndicate and Michael Polak, of Church Court Chambers and Justice Abroad state:
“We are extremely concerned by the contrived and politically motivated charges against the journalist Kilwe Adan Farah by Puntland State authorities. It is clear that these charges, and this prosecution brought after his unlawful detention and following reports of torture, is directly linked to his work as a journalist and his mission to inform the Somalian people of what is taking place,” .
“We call on Puntland authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Kilwe, allow him to reunite with his wife and two daughters, and allow him to continue his journalistic work without any further intimidation or harassment. The Puntland Authorities must also thoroughly investigate the reports of torture against Kilwe and bring those responsible before the courts.
We will be raising this matter with the Authorities, the United Nations, and Somalia’s international partners and will not stop working on this case until Kilwe is free
Early this year the SJS instructed Michael Polak to submit formal communications and complaints with the United Nation’s Independent Expert on the Situation of Human Rights in Somalia, the Human Rights Council, and the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression regarding the attacks against journalists in Somalia and the failure to protect the right to Freedom of Expression. Somalia remains one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist as they are subject to attacks and repression from both state and non-state actors.